Monday, March 30, 2009

"Das Auge isst mit", a german saying which refers to the fact, that food also has to please the eye.Have you ever thought about that? Preparing a meal or setting a table to have colors match or contrast in a way that it has heightens your appetite? I constantly think about this. E.g. I'm totally convinced food cools faster on white plates than on blue ones.

Have you ever drunk coffee from a green mug? Didn't it taste weird or bitter? I've broken - only by accident - all of our green mugs and refuse to drink from the last remaining one ;)

What about green food? If you're into vegetables it's almost impossible not to eat green food, but green meals? I always need splashes of other colors in there. The only green food I really love is mint ice-cream, the one with bits of chocolate in it ;)

But it too tastes best with a splash of red with strawberries or strawberry ice-cream.

What about blue food? There is none natural except for blueberries, even plums are not blue and they come in shades of red til dark violet. Also in greens and yellow, if you include reines claudes and mirabelles

Spring is late this year and the garden is still mostly dressed in faded greens, but I can't wait until everything starts blooming and blossoming in all colors. The vegetable garden is organized in a way to observe the good/bad neighbors rule, but everything else is there to please the eye (and mouth) coming in all shades nature has to offer.

Did I already mention that my favorite place on earth is the Provence? Strolling along the markets every city offers is like discovering new tastes at each stand. Olives noires aux herbes de provence never tasted better anywhere, a dish with vegetables from the market tastes way more intense than with vegetables from home (even if they're from your own garden) and the colors even seem to shine brighter.I still remember the scent of the lavender-fields we drove through last year. Won't be repeated this year, as we're opting for an autumn visit.

I had set out to write something different, before I lose completely track, I'll leave you with this: